Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-12-07
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
WHAT HAS BBEN DONE IN THE DEPART
NBNTS OP WAR AND JUSTICE.
The Past Years WOrk-SeGstry EndicOtt Gives a
DiscOuraglng Account Of Our DefenSeS-PoOr
POrtifcatOnS aud Weak Armamsn;s-
Nr. Garlands Message.

WASHINGTON, D. c., December eth
annual report of the Secretary of Wa
transmitted to Congress to-day, shows tha
the expenditure made by the Department
during the fiscal year amounted to SAL,
1856, 165. The estimates for next fsca
year aggregate $53, 338, 71O, against an ap
preparation for the current year of $751;,
O55, ,3O2. The increase is caused by tht
Incorporation of an estimate of 81, 339, l5l
for public works, including river and har.
Dor Improvements, the expenditures on
this account for the current year amount
ing to only $lr3O5, 400. There is also an
increase of about 81, 100000, in the esti-
mate for the military establishment, and
the army and military academy.
The report Gays that the buildings,
Notifications, public works aud grounds in
the division of the Atlantic are every
where in need Of repair and reconstruction.
On the entire Atlantic aud gulf coast line
of 2, $40 miles and the northern frontier of
2 $50 miles the sole armament is l42 ritled
guns, of which 1l6 are absolute and of
VERY Low POWER.
Even the few serviceable riaed guns that
are mounted are but of little value Some
of them are mounted on old carriages, and
all are without adequate protection.
Favorable endorsement is given t. the
Lieutenant General 8 recommendation that
the present strength of the army be in.
creased by 5000 men, and particular at
tention is called TO the importance OF an in
crease of the artillery arm Of the service
and certain changes in the present organi-
zatiOn of artillery regiments.
Little is said on the subject of river and
harbor improvements, beyond the state
ment that the report Of the Chief OF Engi-
neers SETS forth the condition of each i'm
provemeut and the amount of work per-
formed during the last fiscal year.
DEPARTMENT or JUSTICE
The annual report Of Attorney General
Garland was transmitted to Congress to-
day. 1t gives . full account of the busl-
ness of the Department of Justice during
the last fiscal year. together with statistics
of crimes against the United States. The
number Of ordinary suits now pending in
the Court of Claims is ,ll0, involving the
sum of Sl3, $50, 600. The number Of cases
filed under the bowman act is 1879, in
yolving about $50, COCOON
The petitions fled in FrenchSparnitiop
cases number $500, representing 2,SS6
vessels and about $50, 600.
The amount reported in favor Of claim
ants in eighty. one Of these cases passed
upon is about $425, ,0Op, ranging in SUMS
from $G6 to $45,8la.
During the last fiscal yelr LIT civil
suits were terminated. 922 of these judg-
ment were for the United States, in l02
for defendants, aud 703 were either mol
pros dismissed or continued, and 26 were
appealed from the District 10 the Circuit
Court, and "a from the Circuit Court to
the Supreme Court. There were pending
July lst 3,Q53 civil suits in which the
United States was party. During the
year there were 1907 criminal prosecu-
tions monthly for
VIOLATIONS OF CUSTOMS
and internal revenue laws.
The aggregate amount ofjudgments rem
dred in favor of the United States in civil
suits during last year was 81 U5l, 25g, apa
the amount actually COLLECTED on those
judgments Yas $l52, ,559; while $l9,G7s
was obtained during the year on judgments
rendered in former yeaFs for the United
States, and $24O, 229 was otherwise realized